Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1887-10-31
Queen VictOria's House.
hold.

The throne, and all that pertains
to it, is always subject of interest,
not only from the historical associa-
tions attaching thereto, but from the
deserved popularity of its present oc-
cupant.
The number of officers and attend
ants of all kinds who form the Queens
Court is not far short of thousand,
many of whom hold hereditary posts,
and nearly all of whom receive liber-
al, and it may be thought. in some
cases, extravagant salaries. The
principal officer is the Lord Steward,
who has absolute control over the en-
tire Household, and whose slightest
command must be instantly obeyed
by every officer and servant belong
ing to the court, excepting those of
the Queens chamber, stable and
chapel.
He has authority to hold courts for
administering justice and settling dis
putes among the domestic servants
of the Queen. This part of his du-
! ties is, however, rarely performed
and, although he possesses very ex-
! tensive patronage in the appointments
! of subordinate officials, the more act
i've duties of his position are left to
/ the Master of the Household, an Of
ficer who constantly resides within
the precincts of the palace. The
Lord Steward appears at court on all
state occasions; and the salary he
receives is two thousand pounds per
annum. The office is a political one,
and is in the gift of the ministry of
the day.
Next in rank to the Lord Steward
is the Lord Treasurer, who has no
particular duties to perform, but is
supposed to act as deputy to the
Lord Steward Gin his absence) at all
state ceremonies and for this ser
vice he receives the respectable sala-
rv of nine hundred and four pounds
per annum. The Comptroller of the
Household is another officer of a sim
liar nature. with nominal duties and
a similar salary.
The Master of the Household is an
important officer, if we may judge by
the amount of his salary, which is
eleven hundred and fifty-eight pounds
per annum. He, as the real deputy
of the Lord Steward, has full control
over Her Majesty's domestic estab-
lishment, and has, moreover, a large
staff of officers to assist him. In adj
dition to his own secretary, who has
three hundred a year, there are at
tached to the Board of Green Cloth
which consists of the Lord Steward,
the treasurer, comptroller and the mas
ter, and has the power of adjudicat-
ing upon all offences committed with
in certain limits of the palace-an-
other secretary with three hundred a
year; three clerks with good salaries,
who keep all the accounts of the de-
partment: a secretary to the Garden
accounts, a paymaster of the house
hold, an office-keeper, three messen-
gers, and necessary woman" The
master has, also, the privilege of dim
ing at the Queens table.
Next in order comes the clerk of
the kitchen, with a salary of seven
hundred a year and his board; and
to aid him in his work he has four
clerks, who keep all the accounts,
check weights and measures, and is
sue orders to the trades-peOple he
also has a messenger, land ''necessa-
rv woman" Besides these officials
of her Majesty's kitchen, there is the
chef with a salary of seven hundred
wear; and four master-cooks, lat about
three hundred and fifty pounds per
annum each-who have the privilege
of taking four apprentices, at premi-
ums of from one hundred and fifty
to two hundred pounds each-two
woman of the kitchen, two assistant
cooks, two roasting-coOks,f four scOur-
ers, three kitchen-maids, a store
keeper, two "Green Office" men, and
two steam-apparatus men. And IN
the confectionery department there
are a first and second yeoman, with
salaries of three hundred and two
hundred and fifty pounds respective
ly; an apprentice, three female as
sistants and an errand-man and in
addition to these, there are also a
pastrv-cook and two female assist
ants, a baker and his assistant, and
three coffee-room women. The Ever
department, which has charge of the
linen, consists of a yeoman, and two
female assistants only.
The gentleman of the wine and
beer cellars, or, more properly speak
ing, Her Majesty's chief butler has a
salary of five hundred pounds year.
He has to select and purchase wines
for the royal establishment, to super
intend the decanting, and send them
up to the table. Next to him are the
principal table deckers, with two hum
dred pounds year each; the second
table decker, with one hundred and
fifty the third, with ninety; and an
assistant with fifty-two pounds-their
duties being to snperintend the lay
ing out of the Queens table before
dinner is served.
The Plate pantry is under the care
of three yeomen, with salaries of one